Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29169, Abijah Gage, Mass

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Gage, Abijah.
S. 29169
CONTENTS

8/20/98
21.9.13 Massachusetts
Elijah Gage
of Essex in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Gage of the Regt commanded by Col Fry in the Mass line for 8 months & 11 days
Mch
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 27 Dollars 50 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 15 day of Aug. 1833 and sent to Hon. Marshall Massachusetts
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $53.80 Semi-ant. allowance ending 1st Mch. 13.95 $67.75
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by N. H. Nelson Clerk, Book E Vol. 2 o Page 29

Declaration of Abijah Gage.
14056.

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS: COUNTY OF ESSEX, ss.
On this twenty fifth day of September A. D. 1832, personally appeared in open court, before the HONORABLE DANIEL APPLETON WHITE, Judge of the Court of Probate for the County of Essex aforesaid, now sitting, Abijah Gage , a resident of Bradford , in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts, aged 89 years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth, on his oath, make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832:
That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated:
At the commencement of the Revolutionary War he was a Private Man in the Militia
That on the 19 th of April 1775 he enlisted at Bradford as a private in Captain Nathaniel Gage's Company and marched to Cambridge where he served in Col James Frye's Reg t Massachusetts Militia the January 1-1776 a term of Eight months and Eleven days when he was dismissed at Cambridge but has no discharge. Generals Gates, Stark, Lee, Putnam, Washington, Conway were all in command at different times in Cambridge

Methuen Mass. said Abijah Gage was born in Bradford and has always resided there in Bradford since he was twelve years old. My age is set recorded in Methuen was born fourteenth of May 1743 old style
Deacon John Hurd, Esq. Kimball, Eliphalet Kimball Esquire, Benjamin Grahams Esq. Frank can testify to his character for Also Daniel How Esq & Doct Daniel Kimball of Haverhill
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Abijah Gage
JUDGE OF PROBATE.
We, Gardner B. Perry a clergyman, residing in Bradford aforesaid, and Eliphalet Kimball Esquire, a magistrate, residing in Bradford aforesaid, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Abijah Gage who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 89 years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Gardner B. Perry
Subscribed and sworn to before
Abijah Gage
Eliphalet Kimball

I Jonathan Gage of Newburyport in the County of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy three years, on oath do testify that I was a private in Captain Nathaniel Gage's Company in the war of the revolution and I do know that Libijah Gage of Bradford in said County, of Essex was a private in said Company in the year 1775. I know that he enlisted in said Company April 19 th of that year, and served in said Company at Cambridge until the first day of January 1776. I was also a private in the same Company which was in Colonel James Frye's Regiment, Massachusetts Militia, and served at the same time, in what was called the eight months service, and we were both discharged at the same time at Cambridge.
Bradford June 22, 1832.
Jon a Gage
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Essex ss. Bradford. On this twenty second day of June A. D. 1832. Personally appeared the above named Jonathan Gage and made oath in due form of Law to the truth of the above written deposition by him subscribed in my presence. I do further certify that the said Jonathan Gage is personally known to me, and is a credible witness.
Jesse Kimball Justice of the Peace

And the said Court hereby declares its opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the abovenamed applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that Gardner B Perry who has signed the preceding Certificate, is a Clergyman resident in Bradford and that the said Eliphalet Kimball who has also signed the same is a Magistrate resident at Bradford and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
D. A. White Judge of Probate.
Signed and sealed anew, this thirtieth day of May A.D. 1833.
Nath. Lord Jr.
I, NATHANIEL LORD Junior, Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Essex aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Abijah Gage for a pension. Also that James H. Duncan Esquire whose name is subscribed to one Deposition hereto annexed is a justice of the Peace and Justices of the Peace for said County and that Joseph Kimball Esquire whose name is subscribed to a Deposition hereto annexed is a justice of the Peace for said County and that their signatures thereto are genuine.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this twenty fifth day of September A. D. 1832.
Nath. Lord Jr.

Wijay Gage Map
Print 8 Mo 11 days
1606 May 23 1833
P. 105
14056
2664 122
27.87
6 Min
Salt Duncan
Havre
Map 11 11 11

BRIEF in the case of et at Essex
Abijah Gage in the State of Mass (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? open court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 89  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years. Months. Days. As a Gen.     10th March 1775 19 April 1775 - under Lieut 8 11 Private Col Gage Col Loring  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Bridport Mass  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional and two living witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The papers are not attached agreeably to the regulations 
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George D. Dyer
Examining Clerk.

29 169 Rev INVALID.
File No. 29/169
Abijah Sage
Rev Rev Mr
Act: June 7 n 89 n
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 149
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I Daniel Brickett of Haverhill Essex County Massachusetts of the age of Seventy one years depose and say That I served in the Revolutionary War for the term of Eight Months ending December 1 st 1775 in Capt James Sanborn's Company and Col James Frye's Regiment and I remember that a man by the name of Abijah Gage was in the Service at the same time and I think in Capt Gage's Company we were stationed at Cambridge Mass. Daniel Brickett
Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Essex ss On this twenty second day of September AD 1832 personally appeared before the Subscriber a Justice of the Peace and Quorum for the County of Essex Doctor Daniel Brickett, and made oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed was true. And I further certify that I am well acquainted with said Brickett and that he is a credible Witness.
James H. Duncan Justice of the Peace and Quorum

14056
Abijah Gage
Chas. Minto James H. Newman Esq. Hawthorne Mass

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Nathan Gage which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yy II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yy III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yy V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yy VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yy VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yy VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yy IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yy X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yy

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? yes
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? yes
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? yes
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
¶ In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.